


Zero

by Gigavoir



Category: Splatoon
Genre: Angst, F/F, I honestly have no idea what this is, I hope you like angsty cephalopods, Slow Burn, gay shit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-05-30 19:27:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15103373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gigavoir/pseuds/Gigavoir
Summary: An unusual young inkling living on the streets discovers a dark secret below Inkopolis, and is thrown into a war she wants no part in.





	1. Prelude

**Author's Note:**

> Ok so this is my first time publishing anything ever, so I can assure every single one of you there will be more errors and inconsistencies than Sheldon has words. Obviously as I go on the quality will improve but it might be a bit of a rough start.
> 
> Without further ado, welcome to Zero. I hope you enjoy it.

A sheet of dark, puffy clouds sat above Inkopolis, like a sea of gray as far as the eye could see. A light drizzle fell from the sky, and for a rare moment the city was quiet and at ease. Rain meant no battling outdoors, because nobody wanted to risk getting hurt from it. Still, a few inklings walked up and down the streets, brellas covering their heads and long raincoats almost scraping the ground. 

To most inklings, Inkopolis was the greatest place on earth. It was like one huge never-ending party. All the bright colors, the tall buildings, and of course the music. 

For April, however, Inkopolis was nothing more than a reminder of what she didn't have. 

She wasn't exactly poor. Or at least she just didn't want to say it. She liked living on the street. It made her feel much tougher than she really was. And don't even get her started on turf wars. It's all she ever heard about, splattershot this and roller that. It was all pointless to her. She liked stories of the actual wars, back when inking and splatting actually meant something. The New Squidbeak Splatoon was, in her opinion, the only thing that made Inkopolis worth it. She'd even taken to calling herself Agent Zero from time to time, so just in case they ever recruited her she'd have her name ready. 

For the most part though, she knew her life was terrible. She could barely afford to keep up with the latest fashions, which was almost a crime in inkling culture. Why even bother leaving her usual alley with those ancient orange Takoroka Arrows, when everyone knew it was all about the new Squidkid V's and Power Stripes? And god forbid anyone ever saw her filthy, slightly torn Tentatek shirts. She'd be thrown out of the city at first glance!

Of course, April knew this was a bit of an exaggeration. Sure she got some funny looks, but that was it. For the most part she could drown it out, sometimes wearing headphones that weren't even connected to anything. While her life may have sucked, at least she was able to make the most of it. She rarely spoke to others, so unless she got called out on the street she could avoid conflict pretty easily. She was fine in her own world, and almost preferred it that way. If anything it made things for her more fun, running around the city and climbing up on rooftops, protecting the city from dangers that didn't exist anywhere outside of her imagination. 

But today, she couldn't do any of that. She didn't own a brella, or any weapon besides her beaten-up .52 Gal she had found cheap at a garage sale. The ink chamber was pretty scratched up and the trigger stuck sometimes, but it was all she had. Unfortunately for her, it couldn't keep the rain off. So her options for spending the day were limited. She could always take a train into the square and see if there was a shift open at Grizzco, since she was running low on food tickets. 

April waited for a break in the rain before dashing out across the street. Luckily she was quite fast, but not exactly athletic. She was tall and awkwardly skinny, so her long legs helped her out. A few drops hit her arm, but it wasn't anything too bad. She made her way down the steps to the subway, searching her pockets to make sure she had enough gold. It looked like she'd be able to make it, but her pockets were almost empty. She'd really have to work hard for a bonus today...

The subway was one of the few places that April felt comfortable. On the train she was never forced to talk to anyone, and the roar it made as it sped through the tunnel blocked out a fair share of the other noises. It always gave her time to think or read without being interrupted. The ride to the square wasn't a long one, but it still was the best few minutes of her day. She closed her book and stood by the door, ready to get out before the rest of the crowd could. Sure enough, the second the doors slid open April found herself being thrown around in the mob. She just let them all pass, there was no use trying to force her way through. Especially with most of the inklings geared up for battle.

That's when she heard the noise- a distant, shrill scream. She had no idea where it was coming from, but the sound sent shivers down her body. She forced her way out of the crowd and sat down on a bench until the platform cleared out. She could hear it again, a very faint scream that sounded like it was coming from deep below the station. April crept towards the service door at the end of the platform. Ignoring the "Danger! Keep out!" sign, she slipped inside. The room was lit by a single flickering lamp, and a rusty looking elevator sat at the other end. Feeling like it was the right thing to do, she stepped on and pressed the down button. The ride was painfully slow, and she couldn't hear the screaming anymore, for better or worse. The elevator clearly hadn't been used for a long time. April had lost track of the time, she had to be miles under the city now.

Finally, the doors creaked open.

She took in her surroundings. She appeared to be in some other train station, but it was clearly in disrepair. The tile was cracked, and the lighting wasn't great. Towards the middle of a platform there was a pile of some greenish blue goop, and a pair of red and black sunglasses sat next to it. Whoever was screaming had clearly left in a hurry.

Still, April felt uneasy. This place was definitely locked up for a reason. What had she gotten herself into this time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo, you survived. If you can't tell by now this whole fic is gonna be loosely based around the Octo Expansion lore, so if you haven't played it I would advise you stop reading now because there may or may not be some spoilers for the DLC. Even if you don't care about spoilers, I still highly recommend playing it because woah it was amazing and difficult and just all in all absolutely worth it.


	2. Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the long journey begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Octo spoilers begin in this chapter! A fair bit of it might be based on personal theories but I promise there will be nothing completely outrageous.

April didn't want to admit it, but she was honestly terrified. This place was giving her chills. It was dead silent, and there was no other signs of life anywhere in the station. The screaming she had heard didn't help either. She half expected something to jump out at her, and she kept frantically looking behind her every few steps. If there was something dangerous down here, she certainly wasn't equipped for battle. She knew that the right option would be to turn around and get back on the elevator, yet she couldn't bring herself to turn around. 

She was nearing the center of the platform now, and her heart was racing. It was still dead silent aside from her footsteps, which echoed loudly in the empty station. She reached down and took a look at the pair of sunglasses that sat on the floor. They were unlike anything she had ever seen back in Inkopolis, and the red glowed in the darkness. She folded them up and pocketed them. Perhaps they'd come in handy on some bright sunny day, you never knew. While she was on the ground, she took a look at the glowing goop and some of the stains. She had no idea what the slimy blob was, but the stains looked suspiciously like blood. "This is what I've always wanted to do... Come on, what would a responsible agent do right now..?" April quietly muttered to herself. She stood up and turned around, ready to look for more clues, when her heart nearly stopped. 

An Octoling stood right behind her, glaring directly at her. She didn't look too great. Her dark skin was incredibly scratched up, and she had several long scars across her arms and legs. Her long blue tentacles covered one eye, one hanging near her waist and the other being about shoulder length. Continuing to stare at April, she opened her mouth to speak. "You need to leave. Now. You're putting every single one of us at risk, do you know that?"

April took a step back. "I don't even know where I am right now. I was just in Inkopolis Square, but I heard someone screaming and came down to investigate"

This caused a reaction in the octoling. She leapt forward and put her hands around April's neck, pining her to the ground. "You came from the surface? You must be working with them, then! Nobody else can use that elevator, don't think I haven't been trying! Give me one reason I shouldn't kill you right now, along with all your other 'scientist' buddies. I know what your little organization is doing!"

April struggled to get her words out through her coughing and choking. "I promise... I have no idea where I am..! I just... came to investigate..." She coughed again. She was going to black out soon if the octoling didn't let go. "Can you please... let me go now..?"

The octoling hesitated, and then let go of April's throat. "I believe you, but I don't completely trust you. Nobody just finds this place by accident, it's not made to even be found at all. It's called the Deepsea Metro. It looks innocent enough, but believe me, it's not. The train is part of this underground research lab, and the only purpose it serves is moving us between tests. Like we're all just lab mice" 

"But... what are they even testing you for? Wouldn't people know if it's right below Inkopolis?"

"Oh, they're not testing anything they've made. It's us that they're testing. I'd tell you more, but... they might be listening. I'll call a train, we can talk there"

The octoling took a small, phonelike device out of her pocket and pressed down on the red button towards the top. "It'll just be a minute. Service is usually pretty quick"

April sat down and crossed her legs on the floor. Did this mean she was trapped down here? Was she also now nothing more than a test subject? She hoped not. Even her life on the surface seemed better than this. If anything, why was she trusting an octoling of all people about this? Weren't they the sworn enemy of Inklings?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the roaring of a train coming down the tunnel. It didn't look like it was in great shape. Some of the interior lights were out, and the entire thing was covered in graffiti and rust. On any other day, there's no way April would have gotten on this train, but she didn't seem to have a choice here. She followed the octoling on board and sat down towards the very back. The octoling sat right next to her and leaned in close, so there's no way anyone could overhear them. April was a little uncomfortable. If this was a trap, she was in the worst possible position. 

"So, here's the deal" she began. "A few of us have realized that what's going on down here isn't what it seems" Her voice was barely a whisper, and April tried her best to hear over the sounds of the train. "They're watching us. Seeing who's capable of finishing all these tests. And when someone does?" She paused and nervously looked around. "We're killed. For our genetic material, so they can make an ideal life form"

April shuddered. So she was definitely in over her head. "So why don't you just stop doing the tests? Just refuse to move or something"

The octoling shook her head. "It's not that simple. They'll either kill us regardless, or they'll use that turquoise slime stuff to 'sanitize' us. That slime supposedly is made up of the ones who got blended up, and it's how they can control us. None of us know how we ended up down here either"

"So what makes you think I can help? I'm probably the last person you'd want as a rescue party. I mess things up a lot..."

"You have a memory, and down here that's the one thing we would do anything for. You know how to get out, and you remember what the surface looks like. Believe me, you're our best hope to survive in a long time"

April swallowed. "So, just to be clear... if something goes wrong, we die?"

"Oh, absolutely. You didn't think it would be easy, did you? And if you're gonna be working with us I'll need your name. Don't have to give me the full thing, just a first name will do. But I'd rather have something to call you, if that's alright"

Deciding it was best not to give her real name, April took a second to think. "My name..? I guess you could go ahead and call me Zero. I think it's pretty fitting for me"

"Zero, huh? Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm Nia"


	3. Uprising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a plan is made.

"Hey Z, you awake?" Nia pulled out a sketch of a map as April slowly sat up. "Hm? Yeah, sorry. I needed a nap..." Nia laughed. "That's totally fine, it's easy to lose track of time down here. So, a few of us have worked on putting this map together. We've marked all the known exits, but the problem lies in accessing them. Some of the older ones have just collapsed, while others have a barrier around them. We can't bring weapons out of the test rooms, so we have no idea how to get through. Probably the most risky option would be to go through the lab itself, but that place is filled with guards and sanitized octolings. And of course you know what happens if we're caught"

April nodded from her spot on the floor of the train. She had been down here for a few days now, and surprisingly she was beginning to feel at home. Sure the Metro was dark and a little creepy, but she finally was living her dream in a way. She was going to get Nia out of here, since that seemed to be the right thing to do, octoling or not. Perhaps they weren't as bad as she thought they were... 

"Nia? I think I might have an idea to get you a weapon" April said. "Tell me one more time, what's stopping you from bringing one out of the test?"

"Well, when we enter or leave there's a machine that gives us our gear and then takes it back. We could go around it, but there's a guard watching the platform, so if that's what you're thinking, it won't work"

April took out her gun and dropped it on the floor. "We'll make it work. I've got this Gal with me, so I can hide out back on the train. When you finish the test, I'll wait for the door to open. Once it does, I'll splat the guard watching you. After that, you just keep it hidden until it's time to bust out of here, got it?"

Nia closed her eyes and thought for a moment. "This is, no offense, an absolutely terrible idea. Will it work? Yes. But it might also alert them to the fact that you're here too. We're lucky enough you haven't been found yet..."

"I know it's risky, but the sooner we get out the better. This place is no good, and I don't want you to end up as a puddle of octo goop like the subjects before you. Plus I just like having someone to talk to..."

"If you really think this will work, let's go now. Honestly, I say we go up through the lab. Cause as much damage as we can, so even if they stop us it'll only pave the way for the others"

"If you're ready, I am too!" April nodded again. "Oh man, I really can't believe this is happening. You're sure this isn't a crazy dream, right? It just all feels so weird... This whole facility, working with an octoling... It's hard to think that less than a week ago I was sleeping in an alley. I told you that, right? You sure you're comfortable around me?"

Nia suddenly looked uncomfortable, and her voice sounded a little more cold. "What do you mean, 'working with an octoling'? Is there something wrong with me? That's exactly how Kamabo thinks. That's why they picked us to be their lab rats"

This caught April off guard. She really should have thought before she spoke. She'd already forgotten that Nia didn't remember her old life. She quickly tried her best to cover it up. "Er, well where I come from there aren't many octolings. Of course there's nothing wrong with you, I'm just not used to seeing them around..." She smiled. 

"Oh... alright then. It's weird, even though I trust you I still feel like there's some reason I shouldn't deep down. Don't worry, it's not you specifically. It's just... you're an inkling. I don't know why, but that one little thing won't leave my mind" Nia looked back at April, and saw that she too now looked a little uncomfortable. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean anything by it. I'm really happy you're here, Z. I mean without you I might as well just be an octo smoothie!"

Although she didn't say anything, April knew exactly why Nia felt that way. They were supposed to be enemies. The fact that she was even talking to Nia probably made her a traitor to inklings. Perhaps it was best if she didn't know that.

The train slowed to a stop. Nia stood up and rolled the map back up. "Wish me luck. If I mess up, well, I guess you'll have to go on without me. Don't worry, all these tests are overhyped. They're much easier than you may have heard others say on the train!"

This did absolutely nothing to reassure April. She watched through the window as Nia equipped herself before jumping through the gate into the test chamber. It was hard to see, but it almost looked like she was playing a match of Rainmaker, but just by herself. April wasn't one for battling, but she knew a lot of squids took their ranks very seriously. She really hoped Nia knew what she was doing...

Three long minutes went by, and finally the doors slid open. April was so relieved, it took her a second to realize what she was supposed to do. As soon as Nia came back through the gate, she jumped out of the train and fired directly at the green-skinned octoling watching over the platform. Nia quickly ran back to the train, dripping in turquoise ink and a Splattershot still in her hand. "We really did it... I can't believe it" April said, staring at the ink on the ground. 

"Not yet. We gotta get out of here now! We get off at Central Station again, and then we'll have to blast down the entrance to that lab. After that, just stay right behind me. I've got the entire thing mapped out, so you focus on keeping those guards away. Got it?"

"Got it. Next stop, Inkopolis! Maybe it'll be more fun there with, you know, a friend. I've never really had one before"

"You... consider me a friend? But we've only know each other for a few days... And all I've done is just beg you for help. You really deserve someone better than me, especially for a first friend"

"Nah, it doesn't work like that. I just feel connected to you, if that makes any sense. Like, I haven't felt this good in a long time. Maybe ever"

"Thanks Z... I'm really glad you ended up down here. You're gonna make a huge difference. Not just for me, but for every single one of us"

They sat in silence for the rest of the ride. Both of them were almost terrified at what they were about to do, but neither one wanted to admit it. April couldn't even begin to imagine how Nia felt now. Unlike her, Nia had no memory of the surface. She was probably more anxious than April about it. She had no idea what to expect, or if it would even be worth it in the end. Still, it was all the motivation she needed. 

"We're here. Guess there really is no turning back now..." Nia took the map back out, holding it in one hand and the splattershot in the other. "You ready? Don't forget, if they get me just keep going, take out anything and anyone you see. Saving me would be less important than helping the rest of the test subjects. Now, follow me. The door is right down here"

The lab entrance didn't look like much. Like everything else in the subway, the door was covered in rust, and looked like it hadn't been used in years. The door had the same symbol printed on it as Nia's little device, so perhaps that was a good sign that they were in the right place. There didn't seem to be a way to open it, so April made the next best guess. "I assume we're going to just blast this thing until we can get through? Won't that draw attention to us?"

"We've already stolen a weapon and attacked a guard. They're probably already on to us, so a little more destruction won't hurt anyone. On my signal, we both fire right at the middle, alright?" Nia took aim, and April did the same next to her. "Ready... FIRE!"

Both girls unleashed a barrage of ink at the door, until finally it couldn't take anymore. A hole large enough to fit through appeared down the center. Nia gestured to the opening. "After you, Z. Let's go kick some ass"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya! Thanks again for reading my story, it means a lot to me! If you ever want to get in contact with me, my twitter is @cephalmao. I mainly use it to upload stuff from my Switch, but I'm always open to chat or take feedback!
> 
> I hope you're looking forward to the next part of April and Nia's adventures!


	4. Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a battle is fought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it took me forever to get this one out! I tried really hard to make it up for the delay, so I hope you enjoy this extra long chapter. I'll be sure to update this more consistently in the future.

The lab was eerily quiet. April stepped through the broken door, her heart racing. Like the rest of the testing facility, this part of the lab seemed to be in disrepair. The broken down machinery and flickering lights made her feel like she was trapped in a horror movie. The gravity of the situation didn't help either. She half expected to be shot down by guards at any second, and spent more time looking around than moving forward for a few minutes. 

"If we keep heading up, we should reach the main elevator pretty easily..." Nia stared down at the map as she walked. "However, unless you've got a plan, it'll be much harder than it looks on here to get there. Our first stop should be a supply room. We can get some better gear there in case we run into trouble on the way up"

April looked around the corner once they reached the top of the stairs. The lack of guards patrolling the lab seemed odd, but if anything it was a good thing. She wasn't much of a fighter, and her old gun wouldn't be much use in a head on battle. She trusted Nia, but still... could this all be a trap?

"I think we're in the actual facility now. I'd keep your guard up, this place definitely has some people patrolling the halls. And by some I mean a lot, getting a pretty big reading" Nia said. They definitely were in a newer area. The rusty pipes on the walls were no longer visible, instead covered by a sleek steel plating. The dull hum of electricity could be heard throughout the tunnels. Nia kneeled down and inspected the walls and floor. "This stuff is ink resistant. Don't think we'll be able to hide that way... Although our colors would give us away regardless" She looked up and saw April was looking at her, an incredibly anxious look on her face. "Aw, what's up, Z? Don't worry, we'll be fine. Once we're armored and geared up we'll be unstoppable!"

This did little to reassure her, but she still managed to give Nia a weak smile. The octoling had really grown on her. Perhaps having a friend wasn't such a bad thing. It might make life back on the surface a little more enjoyable. For a moment she pictured herself living a normal life, playing in turf wars and meeting up with Nia for snacks in the square. Where was this idea even coming from? She shook her head and dismissed it. Now wasn't the time for that! She had to worry about getting out of here alive first...

A sudden noise from down the hall got April's attention. She ran up next to Nia, quickly whispering to her. "Nia, wait! I think I hear footsteps somewhere, I'd slow down!" April looked around for the source of the sound. She pulled out her weapon and gripped it tightly. 

It seemed that whoever made the sound had noticed them too. Before either of the two could realize, a targeting laser from a charger was pointed at them both. 

"Targets acquired. Ready to fire" One of the figures said. His voice sounded almost robotic. To his right, the other sniper nodded. "Awaiting your orders, commander" she said, with the same emotionless tone in her voice. 

Neither April or Nia dared to move. Both of them had been expecting something like this, but not this soon into the escape. They watched as the two figures moved into the light. Both were octolings, but their skin was that strange blue-green color as the guard on the platform earlier. 

Finally, a third voice broke the silence. "Drop your weapons. Both of you" He stepped forward, in front of the octolings. What surprised April the most was the fact that the speaker was an inkling. He was quite tall, with his tentacles the same turquoise color as the octolings. He wore a black headset and an expensive Forge jacket. "I said drop your weapons. Now!" 

April quickly did as she was told, looking to Nia for instructions. Nia, however, only gripped her gun tighter. She narrowed her eyes, as if daring the three to come closer. The inkling just shook his head. "Oh please. I've seen others just like you. You're not the first to try to escape, and you probably won't be the last. See these two next to me? Yep, they tried and failed, just like you. If you were smart like these two, you'd drop that splattershot right now and accept your punishment. I can assure you that joining our side is much less painful than your other option"

"One question. Why? Tell me why you're doing this to our kind, and maybe then I'll think about your 'offer', if you could even call it that" 

The inkling chuckled. "Perhaps your little squid friend here could tell you. Back on the surface, octolings are a big problem. They're just another pest in the city, going around and hijacking our power sources and stealing the zapfish. That's where we come in. We figured we could use you for our needs. That's why we're collecting your DNA. We're creating a new race of Octarians. One that serves the rightful owners of this land"

"That's awful!" April yelled. "We're not all like that, for the most part we don't even care! The few octolings that live with us aren't bad at all, they just heard the Inkantation and left Octo Valley. Who the hell even are you?"

"I'm the one who's going to save Inkopolis, idiot! A city littered with vermin is worthless. Think of me as a recycling service, if you will. We take the garbage and repurpose it into something actually useful!"

"Call me vermin one more time. I dare you. Do it, you disgusting waste of oxygen" Nia growled, her gun now pointed directly at his head. 

"Now, now, let's not get fussy. I'd hate to have to kill you. I was just starting to like you, too" He walked over to April and extended a hand. "The name's Leo. I'm sorry you got caught up in this. Why don't you just step aside while we handle our little lab rat?"

"Why don't you back off and let us through?" April raised a fist and punched him hard in the face. The two octolings fired their chargers, but were too slow. The two had already sprinted down the hall and up the stairs. 

"There's a supply room on the next floor. We've got to get you a new weapon before we get on the elevator, because I assume as soon as we leave we'll have a welcome party" Nia tried her best to fend off the sanitized octolings patrolling the facility while looking at her map, but most of her shots weren't hitting. 

The supply room didn't look like much. The door was unguarded and the two were able to slip right in, both collapsing on the floor after barricading the room shut. 

"I get that this was the fastest way up, but tell me again why we chose it? Now there's a whole army trying to kill us, and we're in their territory!" April said, panting from the long run. 

"I didn't realize they'd be expecting us like that... I'm really sorry I dragged you into this, Z. I should have just told you to leave when I first saw you. I bet things were much better before you ended up down here" Nia said.

"Well... not exactly. This is honestly the most fun I've had in a while, fun used very lightly of course. Up on the surface, I've kinda been living alone on the streets for a while now. So I'm honestly glad you got me involved!"

"I wish I could remember my life before I ended up down here... Was the surface nice? Did it actually feel like home, compared to this shitty place?" Nia sat up and leaned against a wall, her head down. 

"Well, it certainly was nice, at least compared to here. As for feeling like home... not really, at least to me. A lot of people say home is less of a place and more of a feeling, but I wouldn't know. Maybe you'll find it better though"

"Maybe..." Nia said, her voice noticeably weaker. "We're gonna make it out of here, right? I'll be honest, I'm really scared right now. I don't want to die..."

Before she could even think about it, April found herself walking over to Nia. She sat down right next to her, and even though it felt so foreign to her, she wrapped her arms around the octoling. 

"We're going to be just fine. I promise you, if we can get this far we can do anything. And the exit is super close, too! We just have to keep pushing forward. Can you do that for me?"

Nia nodded, and April grinned, freeing her from the hug.

"I've got a new weapon right here. I'm gonna unlock the door, and then we make a straight line for the elevator. Don't stop for anything" She moved to the door and removed the barricade. "Let's go! We're getting you to the surface, one way or another!"

The two charged out of the room, firing at the octolings in front of the doorway. From there they kept up a steady pace, ducking under charger shots and returning fire whenever they could. The elevator drew closer and closer by the second, and nothing could stop them now. A few well aimed shots from Nia took out the last group in front of the doors, and without looking back they nearly jumped through the doors, trying to shut them before reinforcements could come.

"We made it... I can't believe it..." Nia panted, dripping in ink. 

"Yeah, but I don't think we should let our guard down for a bit. Something about that inkling down there... I don't like him, and even if he wasn't attacking you I still would think there's something fishy about him. Like, you have to admit. That final sprint was a lot easier than you expected, wasn't it?" April said. The only sounds they could hear now was the gentle hum of the elevator moving up. 

"Well, I guess we're on his bad side now. Only one way to find out what he'll do..."

A small ding signaled that they had made it up. The doors slid open, putting the girls in the same subway station April had found herself in only a few days ago. She signaled to Nia, who was busy taking it all in. "Follow me. There's something you've gotta see"

She lead the octoling up the stairs to the Square. The sun had began to set, but that didn't matter. The entire city was lit up as far as the eye could see. April had never understood why people found beauty in the city lights, but now she understood. 

She looked over at Nia. A single tear rolled down her face as she took in the city for the first time. 

"It's... beautiful" she said.

And for once, April had to agree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buckle up. We're only just getting started...


	5. A New Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which April starts to get her life back on track. Good job, April.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My favorite joke is the one where I said this would be done on time. Whoops.

It had only been a little more than a week since April had helped Nia break out of the Metro, but it already felt like forever ago. Not much had changed for her when she got back, although she didn't really expect anything to. Yet despite having to live and sleep on the streets, she finally felt happy for once. Nia didn't care where they slept or what they did all day, she was just too busy taking everything in for what felt like her first time.

April too was seeing things in a new light. After being stuck underground, even simple things she had never really appreciated before now stood out to her. Being with Nia helped a lot too. She didn't have to be lonely anymore, and Nia seemed more than happy to stay right by her side.

It also wasn't much, but April had even managed to find herself a job as a waitress in a small restaurant. Now that she had Nia with her she had began to feel bad about not having a real place to live or things to do, so she had made it her goal to start earning money towards a house, even just a tiny apartment far from the square. But most importantly, she felt happy for once. She was finally doing something with her life, and it wasn't as terrible as she had thought it would be.

April hung up her apron and left the restaurant, happy to finally be done for the day. She was greeted by the familiar sunset and cool evening air she had grown to love. Inkopolis at night was truly the best way to see the city. The cool ocean breeze kept the city from getting too hot even on the most painful summer nights, and the vast span of lights and music was an absolutely gorgeous sight.

She'd also taken to watching all the people around her. She found it amazing that despite living together in the city, all of them couldn't be more different. During the day you had your turf war crowd, ranging from the squidkids who had finally matured enough to transform, to the much older League teams that were respected by many. Even when the battles shut down for the night, the city kept on going. April was still too nervous to actually go to one, but she loved watching people dancing and eating in the expensive nightclubs downtown. Even if you didn't go anywhere, the streets were always lit up and full of inklings, jellyfish, and all sorts of creatures.

Although to April, the best part of the city was having a friend to take it all in with.

Nia waved to her from a table down the street. They weren’t meeting anywhere over the top, just a simple fast food place near the alley they’d set up camp in. But it was cheap and still tasted like food, so that was the most important thing.

“‘Sup Z? Thought you’d never get out today! How hard were they workin ya?” Nia laughed, pulling out a chair next to her for April. “Good to see you though. Want to hear all about my day, or do you want to go first?” The octoling gestured to a stack of boxes on the ground next to her.

“Well, I can go first since your day clearly was more exciting!” April said. “Honestly, I don’t know why you like hearing the same thing every day, but here we go. The usual early morning Grizzco workers came in and demanded what felt like a bucket of coffee, and I don’t blame them. Ever worked a Salmon Run shift? Anyways, things went pretty smoothly until about noon when the turf war crowd hit, and that’s always absolute chaos. Do you know how hard it is to stop a bunch of kids from tracking ink all over the floor? And walls? And somehow the ceiling?! Oh man, I hate having to clean all that up!”

Nia smiled and laughed, which got April smiling too. Something about her laugh was infectious to her, and she just couldn’t figure out why. “Now, what did you do? I’m so curious about all these boxes, did you go shopping or something?”

“As a matter of fact, I did!” Nia grabbed one of the boxes off the top and set it on the table. “Now, you’re probably going to think I’m insane for this, since you’ve definitely told me how you feel about it, but I spent most of my day downtown doing some turf wars”

April let out an exaggerated groan. “How dare you!”

Nia laughed. “Just let me finish, alright? It wasn’t as bad as you think it is, if anything it’s some good exercise. And you can earn some money, which we can definitely use. I know an apartment is really important, but there were clothes and shoes that were calling my name, so I did spend a little bit of what I earned. But I think it’s worth it, check this out!” She stood up, showing off a new long sleeved Annaki shirt and a pair of yellow Squidkid V’s. The styles couldn’t be more different, but somehow Nia made it work. “Like them? I kinda just bought it all on a whim. I thought you could use a change of clothes too, so tell me if you like any of these!”

April stared at the new shirts and shoes in front of her. Before she could even get a good look, she already knew she loved them. “Wait, you mean it? You actually bought these for me?”

“Of course! You didn’t think I’d just get myself something and call it a day, did you?”

April ran over to Nia and pulled her into a tight hug. “Thank you sooo much! You’re really great, you know that?”

Nia blushed. “You’re welcome... I just thought it was the right thing to do, that’s all...”

“And you said you’re getting some money to help pay for an apartment?! You really don’t have to do all this, I don’t want you to feel like I’m making you work or anything... but out of curiosity, how much do you have left over?”

Nia pulled out some of the coins. “Well, I may or may not have spent about, uh... four hours turfing. So after I spent some on clothes, I’ve got about fifty thousand gold left over”

April nearly choked on a french fry. “Fifty THOUSAND? Holy shit... you really must have been having fun. That’s enough to buy like three brand new weapons, which is a big deal. You know, maybe I should join you some time. I’ve been working this job all week and can barely scrape that with like four times as much work!”

“You totally should! It’s so fun, you just hate it because it’s popular, don’t you?” Nia teased. “But for now, I think there’s a better thing to do. I don’t care where it is, we’re gonna pool our money and go get an apartment, right now. Surely we can afford a cheap little one, right? Plus isn’t that part of the fun of city life? I bet we could make it feel cozy in no time!”

April was a little shocked by Nia’s ambition. Once she got her mind on something, it definitely seemed like she’d get it, or else. It was a little scary sometimes, but in an endearing sort of way.

 

* * *

 

The apartment was, for lack of a better word, depressing. It was only three rooms, with the living room and kitchen being combined into one. The walls were an ugly off-white color and were cracked and peeling in some places. The bathroom ceiling leaked, and two of the four stove burners didn’t even light. 

“Yeah, I don’t know why you two seem so excited about moving in here...” said the Inkling who owned the building. “Like we got much nicer bigger spaces upstairs, you sure you want the first one you can afford?”

April ignored him. She loved it already, even with the flaws. “Yep! We’ll take it!” she said, grinning. “What do I need to do?”

“Just sign here. Goes over the rules of the building, simple stuff really. No pets, no smoking, keep your music down, and don’t even think about bringing weapons in here if you’ve still got an ink tank on you” he said, handing over a clipboard. 

Only half reading the papers, April quickly signed her name at the bottom and paid the inkling. Once she finished, he took the board back and shook her hand. “I’ll get this place cleaned up for you two, or at least try to. I’d say you’re good to move in tomorrow morning. Don’t want to keep you up all night” He made his way back to the entrance, shaking his head. “Can’t believe they actually wanted this dump... Thought I’d never get anyone in it...”

The two girls made their way back to their usual alley, both incredibly nervous and excited about moving into a real house for the first time. This was the last time they’d be in sleeping bags on the hard cement, in less than a day they’d be sleeping in their very own apartment! 

By the time they made it back, it was completely dark out, the only light now coming from the streetlights and lanterns strung across balconies and trees. The two sat down against a wall, talking about absolutely nothing in particular until they could barely keep themselves awake. April felt Nia’s head resting on her shoulder, and before she knew it she had fallen asleep right there. Not wanting to disturb her, she just put an arm around the octoling and pulled up a blanket, and closed her eyes. 

Today had been a pretty good day. And it could only get better from here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter was a little boring, it was mainly an excuse for me to slow things down a bit and work more on good dialogue and descriptions. There’s gonna be more action soon if that’s your thing, so just hold on tight. 
> 
> And as always, thanks for reading. I love you guys <3  
> -Giga


	6. (Turf) War and Peace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which something goes horribly wrong...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual here’s the apology for being over two weeks late. I’m going to aim for weekly updates from now on even if it means chapters might be a little shorter than before. No promises though.

“Here’s your keys. Don’t lose them, you’ll have to pay for a replacement. I tried to fix that leak as well, but I’ve got no clue how to stop it. If you don’t like the place you’d better not complain, because you had the option to get a different one” the landlord said after he dropped two keys in April’s hand. “Rent is due the first of every month too, so I’d rather not chase you down for it. Pay it on time or we might kick you out. Now have a nice day or whatever I’m supposed to tell you two now” he closed the door. 

April flopped down on the carpet and rolled onto her back. “So this is our place now! What do you think? I’m really sorry if you expected somewhere nicer... this was the best we could do with the money we had without leaving the city”

“It’s great! Granted the only places I remember living are a cell in some creepy lab and then a sleeping bag in an alley, so I’d say this is a big step up!” Nia said. She had taken to trying to fix the broken stove burners. She wasn’t really sure why, but all the broken machinery just seemed to be begging her to fix it, and she couldn’t resist. 

Right now the apartment wasn’t much. It looked like the building owner had at least tried to fix the peeling walls by covering them with a fresh layer of the same off-white paint, but it didn’t make much of a difference. The two also had no furniture yet, and had just been sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags. They learned the hard way the heater didn’t work either, so they weren’t looking forward to when the sun set. 

But then again, it was a house of their very own, something April wouldn’t have even dreamed of a month ago. Nia had really changed her life, and she had to admit it really was for the better. She had something to keep her going in life now. Spending time with Nia, whether it be grabbing a bite to eat, walking around the city, or even just sitting around like they were now made her happier than she’d ever been, and she still couldn’t put her finger on why. 

Nia turned around from the stove. “You want to go get some food? And maybe while we’re out I could convince you to come to a turf war with me? We’d earn twice as much cash so we can get some actual furniture in here!”

“Oh my god, will you ever get tired to asking that? Maybe, alright? And if I do I’m just doing one. I still thing they’re a waste of time, but I’ll still watch you at the very least”

Nia grinned. “That works for me! Hope you get put on my team, I’d hate to have to embarrass you in front of a crowd!”

“Don’t push your luck, I’m only doing this to shut you up!”

The two pulled on their shoes and walked down the hall. Nia got a few strange looks from the other tenants, who were all inklings. While neither of them had ever noticed any aggression, it seemed like people still didn’t trust the octolings. Perhaps being lead to believe they were extinct up until a few months ago had something to do with that. 

The weather was perfect for spending the day walking around the city. A cool breeze from the ocean kept the summer heat at bay, and the rainclouds had finally started to disperse. It looked like all of Inkopolis was enjoying the weather now that all the rain had passed. 

“Let’s get this over with quickly... I’d rather spend this nice day doing something actually productive” April said. She wasn’t really as upset as she sounded. As long as she got to be with Nia she could handle just about anything. Even something as horribly boring as a turf war. 

“This is productive, silly! We can earn some cash from it so we can make the apartment look like people actually live there!” Nia laughed and grabbed April’s arm so she couldn’t make a last minute escape. “Come on, you’re gonna like it! I swear!”

The two girls entered the tower lobby and sat down at a table, now having to shout to be heard over the music blasting out from a speaker above them. “I’m gonna go get us some ink tanks!” Nia yelled. “Do you still have that octoshot, or should I lend you one of my weapons?”

“No, I didn’t think that would be allowed here. Just get me something, I don’t care what it is as long as it shoots properly”

Nia returned a few minutes later with two tanks full of ink, two sodas, and an absolutely gigantic paintbrush. 

April gave her an unamused glare. “You expect me to use this? I meant like, a splattershot or a gal or something that doesn’t require me to break my arms”

Nia just laughed. “I swear, it’s lighter than it looks. It’s a great workout too, you need to start building up some muscle! Try it out on the balloons over here”

April dragged the brush over to the testing range and halfheartedly swung it at one of the balloons. “Great. So I just do that for hours and hours on end now?”

“Will you please just lighten up? One or two rounds is all I’m asking. It would make my day, alright?” Nia’s smile wavered a little. She didn’t want to say it, but she was starting to feel a little hurt by April’s opposition to the turf war. 

“Oh fine. Let’s go, one round won’t hurt”

The two joined a group of inklings waiting on a launchpad. “Alright, if you’re scared of heights just close your eyes. It’s not very far, I think we’re going to that bridge down by Snapper Canal. They’ve built an arena there. We’ll be there soon!” Nia said, transforming into octopus form. 

April dove into the ink covering the launchpad as well. Before she could fully process what Nia had just said, she and everyone around her shot into the sky and across the city. The view wasn’t bad, but she was more concerned with not making a squid shaped hole in the ground wherever they landed. Desperately trying to stick the landing, she switched out of squid form, and immediately tripped and fell on her face upon hitting the ground. 

The other two gave her a strange look. “It’s okay!” Nia said. “It’s her first time, she doesn’t do this stuff very often!”

She reached down and helped April up. “Just do you know, there’s ink here. Don’t switch back, you’ll land right in it!”

“Why didn’t you tell me that before?” April groaned. “Now I have a giant bruise I bet. Told you this was a bad idea...”

“Oh shut up, you’re fine. We’re about to start anyways, so you’d BETTER be fine!”

Somewhere in the distance a whistle sounded. The team quickly jumped off the spawn platform and started covering everything in sight with bright blue ink. April, trying her best to follow along, flicked her brush around, hoping she was contributing. Along with Nia, she worked her way towards the middle of the arena, carefully watching the positions of the other team. 

If anything, the escape from the Metro had taught April a lot about battle tactics, and she now saw that this wasn’t much different. Obviously these weapons wouldn’t kill her, but everything else was the same. She watched as one of the yellow inklings jumped down to the lower area in the corner. 

“Hey Nia, you go that way. Stop him from coming around back!”

Nia nodded and smiled back at her before swimming off to engage the enemy. April dived into the ink as well, hoping to surprise anyone careless enough to walk by with their guard down. 

For a moment, April forgot all the hatred she had for the sport. This was, dare she say it, a little fun. She’d never let Nia know though. She’d never hear the end of it if she did. 

Finally someone walked by. April leapt out of the ink, flinging ink everywhere. For a second she thought she won the battle. The other squid was nowhere to be found. She turned around, ready to adjust her position, when her opponent jumped out right behind her. Before April could even turn around, she found herself covered in yellow ink, and eventually she literally exploded. 

Well, not exactly. She herself was fine, but she felt herself flying back to the respawn machine. Cursing under her breath, she swam back towards the action. She looked over at the clock. Somehow there was already less than a minute left. Had it really gone by that fast?

Not wanting to waste any more of the precious last few seconds, she charged right into the yellow base, the rest of her team behind her. The tactic worked for a short while, and the enemy quickly caught on. But by the time they had dealt with April and her allies, the damage was already done. They had successfully secured the win. 

Once they got back to the tower, April went to return the ink tanks while Nia collected their winnings. Nia tossed her a small bag of coins. “So, how was it? As awful as you expected?”

“Well, it wasn’t as bad as I thought. Still not the best way to spend time, but I’m glad I tried it” April said, trying her best to hide her smile. 

“I knew you’d like it! Come on, let’s get some lunch. I’m starving!”

“Oh, now you’re talking. Crusty Sean’s truck again?” 

“Sure!” Nia lead the way across the square. “Oh, by the way, I’ve been meaning to ask. What’s that in your pocket?” She pointed at the pair of glasses hanging out of April’s shorts. 

“These?” April pulled them out. “I forgot I had them to be honest. I picked them up down in that lab. You can take a look if you want!” She handed them over to the octoling. 

Nia took them and froze, her smile suddenly fading. 

“N-Nia? Are you alright? What’s up?”

Nia looked up, but couldn’t meet April’s eyes. 

“I’m... I’m sorry. I have to go. I just remembered everything”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well then. Wasn’t that unfortunate?
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that it was worth the wait. Think of this as the “real” first chapter I guess. From here on out I’ll be slowing down plot stuff to really focus on character development and becoming a better writer.
> 
> As always, thanks for reading. See you next time!  
> -Giga <3


	7. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Nia had an unexpected meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I got something done almost on time! That’s a new record!
> 
> It’s almost 1 AM so this chapter is probably a clusterfuck, but I hope you enjoy regardless!

Nia was home. 

Or at least, she was where she thought home was. 

It didn’t look like much. She looked around and the cliffs and canyons surrounding her. She appeared to be on some sort of platform floating in the air, which did nothing to ease her nerves. How the place hadn’t come crashing down yet she didn’t know. Perhaps it would come to her soon enough. While her memory had returned, parts of it were still quite foggy. 

From what her memory told her, the inklings were bad. She wanted to believe that wasn’t true after meeting Zero, but even she seemed to be hiding some things from her. That couldn’t have been her real name, Nia was sure of it. And if she couldn’t trust her to reveal that, how could she trust anything else she had said? And if parts of what she said were true, that made her an enemy. She’d mentioned wanting to be an agent for the New Squidbeak Splatoon, which was the reason “home” was out here in the middle of nowhere. 

The thought of all this made Nia feel sick. She wanted to trust Z so badly, but with her newfound memories she just couldn’t do it. 

She sat down on the edge of some steel scaffolding that formed a ramp to a lower section of the floating island. There was nobody else in sight. A small cabin stood by the grate, but it looked empty. The sun was starting to set now, and she was ready to just sleep on the ground. Hopefully the place wasn’t abandoned, otherwise she’d never get back. 

She lay down on her back and stared up at the sky. She hoped she didn’t hurt Z. She just did what she thought was the right thing to do. Being in Inkopolis would make her a walking target if people knew her story. She didn’t want to leave either, but she knew she had to. 

Right when she had started to close her eyes, she heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps behind her. She turned around and saw another octoling, wearing what looked like a thick suit of armor. “You there” the armored octoling said. Her voice didn’t sound friendly, but she didn’t look like she was an immediate threat. “What are you doing here this late? You should be in your bunk with the rest of your unit. You’re not trying to desert, are you?”

Nia quickly got up. “No! Er, I’m not deserting, that is. I’m more, uh, arriving. It’s a really long story and I can explain it later, but can you please take me back to base? I’ve got a story I think the general would like to hear. Ciara was her name, wasn’t it?”

The octoling raised an eyebrow. “Ciara left over six months ago. Went with some traitors and their little inkling friends. You sure you’re from here?” 

“Look, just take me to whoever’s in charge, will you? We’ll get it cleared up soon enough, alright?” 

“Fine. Follow me, I guess. You’d better have some story to warrant all this” she said with a sigh. Nia quickly hurried after her to another grate, diving in after her. She really hoped they’d believe her. There were certainly a lot of holes in her story, and memory at that. It was worth a shot though. She just wanted to hide out here, where she knew she’d be safe. Maybe someday she’d be able to return to Inkopolis, but based off what she now knew that might be a long way off. 

At last they emerged from the pipe, now in what looked like a long metal hallway. For a second, Nia thought she was back in the lab under the city where she had been trapped, but this definitely wasn’t the same place. This place felt more like a home. It was the middle of the night, but a few soldiers still sat and quietly chatted on the floor, and some cracked doors revealed bunks where others were asleep. 

Nia couldn’t help but notice the looks she kept getting from those who were still awake. Whenever she passed she could hear them quickly turn and whisper something to each other. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t make anything out. 

Her escort knocked on a door at the end of the hall. “General? Pardon my appearance this late, but there’s someone new who wants to see you. She says she’s got a really important story or whatever. Should I send her in or no?”

A speaker crackled to life above them. An almost bored voice spoke from it. “Send her in. We might as well get this over with now if it’s as important as she says”

Something about the voice sounded familiar to Nia, but she didn’t know why. 

The door slid open, and the two stepped inside. The room wasn’t what she expected from a general. A few monitors were propped up on the wall for surveillance, but most of the room was covered in trash, mostly crumpled up notes and newspapers from more places than Nia had tentacles. Seated at a desk towards the back was a somewhat tall octoling, his long purple tentacle pushed to the side, half covering his eye. His dark skin was covered in scars, and he had a mask over his nose and mouth. Whoever he was, he certainly had a thing for spikes as well. His gloves, boots, jacket, everything. He definitely had the intimidation factor nailed down. 

“Is this a joke?” He asked, looking right at the other octoling. “Trying to make me think you found her or something?”

“Er, found who?” Nia interrupted. “Sorry for cutting you off, sir, but I can assure you this isn’t a prank of any kind!”

“Hmph. Fine then. I’m sorry if I overreacted there. It’s just... if that was your intention, it was pretty damn convincing” 

“I’m sorry... what? If you don’t mind me asking, who is it you’re looking for? And do people impersonate her a lot?” Nia asked. 

“Well, there’s a lot of people we’re looking for now. Lilly, Abigail, Nia, and Robin, to name a few. All went missing around-“

“N-Nia? Did I hear you correctly?”

“Yes, you did. If anything she’s my highest priority. She’s my sister, so of course when I heard she was gone I put my entire unit to work looking for her”

“Well, um...” Nia swallowed. “I guess they found me. I can explain everything”

The general’s eyes went wide. “You’re serious?! Nia? You’re definitely Nia?”

“Last I checked I’m absolutely Nia. You’re... Brook, right? I feel like an idiot not knowing my brother’s name, it’s just that my memory is really, really foggy right now. I wish I could remember more about you...”

“Yes, it’s Brook. Oh Nia... I’m so glad to have you back... You can’t imagine what it was like without you. I... I thought you might have even been dead. Do you know anything about the others? Or where you were?”

Nia shook her head. “It’s part of why my memory is so bad. I don’t even remember what happened. Just waking up in some creepy lab and having to do these tests. I was so scared... I couldn’t remember anything, and I was all alone”

“Why were they testing you? How did you get out? Sorry if I’m overwhelming you, I just want to know everything” Brook said, trying to write down everything she said on an already crowded piece of paper. 

“Something about making an... ideal race. The one other person I saw down there was an Inkling. Said his name was Leo. Apparently they’re trying to use us to make clones or something for their own army. Says it’s what we deserve after the Great Turf War...” Nia purposefully tried to keep her friend out of the story. She knew how octoling soldiers could be. She definitely didn’t want to be labeled a traitor, especially if her brother was the one in charge. He might get in trouble too, and she didn’t want to be responsible for that. 

“And how did your memories return? This definitely doesn’t sound like a normal case of amnesia. Something’s really fishy here”

“I don’t really know. They just started slowly coming back once I got out” she lied. “I still don’t have all of them yet. I don’t really remember much of you besides your name, or really anything else about my life before I woke up there. All I know is that I had to get out of Inkopolis as soon as I got out of that lab. The inklings are our enemies, right? I couldn’t stay there, in enemy territory”

“I’m glad you at least know that much. That means you’ll definitely be able to help our plan” Brook said. 

“W-What plan?” Nia gulped. She already didn’t like where this was going. Her mind kept telling her she was doing the right thing, but the thought of Zero wouldn’t leave her head either. 

“We’re planning another war on the inklings. Taking back the land that should have been ours. And your little story about that secret lab might be all we need as proof that they’re all evil. Listen, I know this is a lot to take in at once. Why don’t you get some sleep, and we can talk more in the morning? You know, catch up on all that we’ve missed in the last year? Dawn, be a dear and get Nia a bunk. A room all to herself would be best”

The octoling who had escorted Nia nodded, and Nia knew she must be Dawn. “Follow me, there’s an empty room right down here!” She lead Nia out of the room. “Don’t mind him, he’s not usually this talkative. I can imagine seeing you alive gave him quite the shock!” she said, setting a pile of blankets down on the bunk. “In a good way!” She quickly added. 

Nia laughed, but it was mostly forced. She felt sick, and was almost wishing she never left Inkopolis. She wanted to tell her brother that not all inklings were bad, but what good would that do?

“Z... I’m so sorry. I really am...” she whispered. “I hope you’ll be able to forgive me”


	8. Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which April reaches the point of no return.

Four days. 

April hadn’t left the apartment since Nia had left. She didn’t know what she was feeling. It was like a strange mix of everything, and she could make sense of any of it. Perhaps she was overreacting. She had been on her own since she was little, only seven at the time. After twelve years of it she knew she should be used to it by now, but this just wasn’t the same. She knew Nia had really changed her. Never in her life had she had a friend like her, someone who she could trust to be there for her. 

And yet here she was now. So much for trust. 

As much as she wanted to keep herself shut in, she knew she’d have to leave eventually. She couldn’t keep calling in sick from work, they’d get suspicious after a while. And if she got fired, she’d be right back where she started, living on the streets with barely enough money to get by. 

In short, her life seemed to suck more than ever now. 

Reluctantly April pulled herself off the floor, making no effort to clean herself up at all. She pulled on a shirt, not even checking if it was clean or not, and locked up the apartment and left. She looked an absolute mess, her shoes were untied and about to slip off, and her tentacles flopped limply to the side of her head. For someone who’d spent the last few days sleeping and barely moving she looked impossibly sleep deprived. She’d have to make herself an extra strong coffee when she got to the café. 

She got there just in time, none too excited about the long day ahead. She tied her apron around her waist and poured a glass of coffee for herself before heading out with her order pad and a very forced smile. Thankfully there weren’t many customers yet, but the lunch rush would come soon enough. She made her way over to a table where two girls, one octoling and one inkling. were sitting. The octoling didn’t look like they could be Nia, but maybe she’d at least know where she was.

“Hi! Can I get you two something to drink?” April asked. She’d have to think of a way to bridge the conversation over to Nia without sounding awkward. As upset as she was, she didn’t feel like embarrassing herself too. 

“We’ll split a milkshake. Just bring out a chocolate shake and two straws!” the inkling said. 

“Alright, is that all? If you’re ready I can take your order too” April said, as if she was closely reading a script. Her facade was failing, but she didn’t care. She was getting paid to serve food, not to smile. 

“Alright, guess we’ll order then. I’ll just take a basket of squid rings, and we’re gonna get a small plain cheese pizza to split as well”

April wrote the order down and walked back towards the kitchen. She wished she had something to make the time go by faster. On any other day she’d be working as hard as she could to get to her lunch break so she could meet Nia, but now she was gone. If anything she was dreading lunch, just because she’d be alone again. She just wanted to go back home and sleep, and hope that she just melted away. 

She returned a few minutes later with the milkshake. “Food will be done soon. Hope the shake is good” she said, still with the same monotone voice. 

To her surprise, the inkling responded. “Hey, don’t go back just yet. Sit with us for a minute. Are you alright? I’ve seen you in here before, you’re not like this usually” she said. 

“I’m fine” April lied. Perhaps if she said it enough she’d convince herself it was true. 

“You’re clearly not though!” The octoling spoke up. “Look, I’ve been through shit too. I know what fine does and doesn’t look like, and you are a prime example of not fine!”

“Guys, please. I’m just tired. I’ll be okay, don’t worry about me. I’m just here to get you your food, that’s all you need to know about me”

“Listen, I’m not gonna make you talk if you don’t want to, but we’ve got time. Just tell us your story, or whatever you want to tell. Bet it’s better than just standing around here all day anyways”

April pulled an extra chair over and sat. They were right, as much as she didn’t want to admit it. “I guess... I’ll make it quick though. I’d hate to bother you two with my own problems...” 

The inkling laughed. “It’s no problem at all! We’ll sit here as long as you need”

April sighed, and began her story. “Alright then... I’m going to leave out a bit here for... reasons, but let’s just say that I used to be homeless. Don’t worry about that, it wasn’t so bad! I was just fine on my own” she added, noticing their faces. “And then perhaps it was just through dumb luck, but I stumbled in to this octoling, Nia-“

The octoling at the table gulped suddenly after hearing Nia’s name. 

“Oh! Are you alright? Is something wrong with the milkshake?” April asked, noticing her discomfort. 

“I-it’s nothing... go on with your story” she hastily said, looking like it was definitely something. 

“If you say so... Anyways, we break her out of this creepy underground lab, which is a whole other story, and she already is making this huge impact on my life. Getting a job was her idea, and eventually we pooled our money and bought an apartment together...” As the story went on, April found it was getting harder and harder to speak. She didn’t want to think about Nia leaving again...

She continued, despite her brain telling her not to. “Everything was great for a few days, and then... she, well...”

The table was silent, aside from her sniffling. 

“She just left. No warning, no reason, nothing. She’s just gone”

The octoling was the first to speak. “You don’t have to answer this if you don’t want to, but... do you think it’s possible you might have developed a crush on this Nia?” 

April immediately felt herself go red. “N-no! She was my best friend, if I can call her that. I just haven’t really had a friend like her in, well, ever!” She thought about what the octoling had said. She definitely felt something about Nia, but that didn’t seem to be it. 

“Okay, okay! Was just asking, I’ve been in a situation kinda like that before. Not pretty, and a really long story. Maybe I can tell you someday, if you want to meet up. My name’s Abigail, by the way. This dork across from me is Naomi, she’s normally more talkative than this. Usually our group is bigger too, no idea where the others got off to...”

“I’m April” she said, her own name feeling strange in her mouth. She rarely used it, especially since she’d gotten used to being called Z by Nia. “I wish Nia was here to meet you too, but... yeah”

That’s when the feeling came to her. 

She didn’t love Nia, or even like her at all. Not anymore. The only thing she could think of was pure hatred. For Nia, for herself, and for everyone else. 

“Listen, it sounds to me like you need to just get up and go find your friend!” Naomi said. “I’m sorry if that’s kinda blunt, but moping around won’t get you anywhere!”

April stood up. “You know what... I think you’re right. Thanks you two, you may have just helped me way more than you can imagine..!”

Without waiting for a response, April turned around and walked out of the door, ignoring the shouts of the other employees. She didn’t need this god awful job anymore... not where she was going. 

She didn’t stop walking until she reached the subway station in the square. The same one they had broken out of weeks before. Without stopping to think for even a second, she flew down the stairs and into the secret elevator. 

Before she knew it, she was back in the Deepsea Metro. 

Footsteps behind her told her that someone already knew she was coming. She turned around, and came face to face with Leo, the very inkling who had tried to stop her from escaping all that time ago. 

“You’ve got a lot of nerve coming back here, girl. Give me one reason why I shouldn’t just dispose of you” he growled, grabbing her. 

“I’m not here to break anyone else out of here, sir. I’m here because I want to work for you. There’s a certain someone who I’d like to bring down”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this was a bit shorter. Having some writer’s block again, and just wanted to get this out on time. 
> 
> As always though, thanks for reading. I love y’all!  
> -Giga


	9. Regret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which an unlikely alliance is formed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess I’m not dead?
> 
> Sorry that this is over two weeks late. I started school and had slightly less free time to work, and may or may not have gotten entirely addicted to StarCraft 2. I’ll try to get updates out consistently again, but then again I say that every time and look where that’s gotten me. 
> 
> Love y’all <3

“So let me get this straight” Leo said. “You came down here over a month ago, and not only did you ruin my research, you also helped one of my prisoners break free. And now you’re saying you want to work with me to recapture her?” He laughed out loud and pulled some papers out of his desk. “You know who she is, right? She’s dangerous. You shouldn’t have done what you did, there’s a reason we had her locked up!”

April had to stop herself from yelling out. “I-I didn’t know any of that. What’s wrong with her?” she asked, eyeing the papers. 

“Not gonna tell you. Not yet, anyways. I trust you, but I don’t trust you that much. It’s classified info, and considering you just showed up out of nowhere it’s going to take a lot to convince me you’re really working with me”

“Oh, okay” April was both upset and a little happy that he stayed quiet about it. As much as she wanted to hear more about Nia, she realized that thinking about her would only make her feel worse. She didn’t know what would happen once she found her, but she at least wanted to see her suffer for leaving. She deserved nothing less. 

“Alright, that’s enough peeking at this junk. Why don’t you come with me? I’ll introduce you to my other... partners, and then I can get you all ready to go find our little missing friend here” Leo walked out of the office, grabbing April’s arm. He wasn’t pulling very hard, but he seemed to want her out of the room. He lead her down the dimly lit hallway to a smaller room with several bunks against the wall. Two octolings sat at a table in the center. Something was odd about them though... their skin was tinted a greenish blue, and their tentacles were blue and green. She realized these were the two that were with Leo when he first tried to stop her and Nia from escaping. If they remembered her, she was in deep trouble. 

“Meet Robin and Lily. They’re two of my personal favorite subjects. Wanted to keep them around a little longer, so I may or may not have messed with their minds, at least just a little bit. Needless to say they’re great guards. If there’s one thing that octos are good at, it’s fighting. All they do is start wars and try to kill us, so why not turn their own soldiers against them?”

April felt sick just hearing Leo talk, but she forced herself to get over it. She hated Nia, she wanted her to suffer. She would have to go along with whatever he said, even if he was completely insane. Though the more he talked, the more sense he began to make. If that was a good thing or a bad thing she didn’t know. She simply kept nodding along to his words, and occasionally speaking to fill some of the gaps. 

“So, what exactly do you want me to do here? You’ve done all this talking but you still haven’t given me any kind of work to do” April said, glaring at Leo. He was wasting her time. He definitely had no reason to trust her, but the whole reason she was down here was to get his help on her hunt for Nia. 

“Settle down, settle down! We’re getting there! You could at least give me your name first, right?”

“Fine. It’s Zero. Z for short. Is that good enough for you? Now give me the damn assignment!”

Leo narrowed his eyes. “You’re lying to me. I can tell. What’s your real name, girl? Tell me now, or I’ll kill you on the spot. I’ve got no time for your games”

“My name is April. But that name means nothing to me. Zero is much better, wouldn’t you agree?”

“No. Zero is a terrible name. If you’ve lied about anything else, tell me now. If you swear you’ve told me only the truth, I’ll give you the job. If not, well, you already heard me once. This has been a waste of my precious time”

“Everything else is true. Now tell me where I can find the fucking octoling!” April shouted. Leo’s calmness was infuriating, if not impressive. If anyone’s time was being wasted, it was hers. 

“Very well then. I don’t have that much to give you, but follow me this way. There’s no going back from here, and I’ll be watching your every move” he lead her to the back of the room, to a closet filled with all sorts of weapons. He handed her a small dagger and what looked like a modified blaster. “I want you to understand that these are real weapons. Not your silly ink spraying turf war crap. This is the real deal. The ink from this thing will kill, so don’t go shooting yourself in the foot”

April cautiously took the weapons from him. He grabbed a small handheld device and gave it to her as well. “This thing allows us to track you. It’s also got important data on it, including the location where we think she may have run off to. If you lose this, you’re in big trouble. So don’t drop it!”

April nodded. “So what do I do when I find her? Should I let you know, or try to handle her myself?”

Leo smiled. “Just bring her back here. Dead or alive, I don’t really care. And don’t be afraid to take out anyone else in the way”

* * *

The more Nia learned about Brook, the more she refused to believe they were related. She had become fast friends with Dawn, who told her everything she had missed while she was gone. While Nia recognized very few, if any of the names and events she mentioned, she was still able to connect the dots. 

From what she was able to piece together, the former general, Ciara, tried to start a new war against the inklings by framing them for a murder, the target being an escaped soldier. The plan failed horribly, leading to two of her best soldiers on the other side. Supposedly they came back and Ciara went with them, leaving Brook in charge. The octolings’ names were Jay and Abigail, and they haven’t been seen since, along with Ciara. Someday she hoped she’d be able to hear the full story, but it seemed like that wasn’t possible now. Brook seemed a lot more dangerous than Ciara had sounded. 

Nia had been spending almost all of her time on patrol with Dawn, which gave them plenty of time to talk without being overheard. She was incredibly relieved to be able to tell someone about Z and her time in Inkopolis, and even better was that Dawn really seemed to understand. She was nothing compared to Zero herself, but she was still a great friend. 

It was past midnight now, and the two of them had spent the last few hours sleeping in shifts. Having someone she could trust nearby definitely made Nia more comfortable, but the silence was still painful. There was nobody else near their station, so she just sat and looked out across the canyon. 

Why did she even leave the city? Was it panic? Fear? A little of both, or something completely different? She kept telling herself she did the right thing, but the regret kept building up and wouldn’t leave her alone. She missed walking along the beach and battling in turf wars. She missed the food trucks, and all the noise. But more than anything, she missed Zero. 

Before she knew it she was already tearing up. She hated herself for abandoning her. She couldn’t even imagine what things were like for Z back in Inkopolis without her. Hell, she could barely handle it either. Someday she’d go back. Not now, with Brook’s threats of war hanging in the air, but she promised herself she’d return once it was all over. 

Still, nothing she told herself could make it better in the present. She couldn’t stop it, she was crying hard now. She had ruined everything. 

She felt a tap on her shoulder. She slowly turned her head and saw Dawn on her knees next to her, a look of genuine concern on her face. 

“Is everything alright? You look terrible” she asked. 

Nia shook her head and collapsed over Dawn’s shoulder, choking and sobbing. “I’m such an idiot... I’m sorry you have to put up with me all the time...”

“Don’t be sorry! You didn’t do anything wrong!” Dawn wrapped her arms around her. “I’m here, okay? Everything is going to be fine, I’ll always be right here if you need me” 

Nia nodded. Maybe if she could tell herself that too she’d feel better.


	10. Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a close friendship is forged.

Dawn kept her arm around Nia the whole night. She liked her a lot, and she was much different than a lot of the other soldiers, especially her brother. More importantly, Dawn just seemed nice. She clearly cared a lot about people, which wasn’t common with many octolings. She may not have known her very long, but she still felt attached to her.

With every passing day, Brook’s plan developed more and more. It seemed like any hope to reunite Nia with Zero was lost, and returning to Inkopolis was definitely out of the picture now. Nia spent most of her time sitting in her bunk, or patrolling with Dawn. The less she saw of her brother, the better. He was intent on trying to get her right at his side, but she refused. Her memories had stopped returning now too, leaving a few things blank. Names especially were hard, and she still felt no real connection with Brook.

Nia sat with Dawn in her room, the door locked. Nia was sprawled out on the bed, with Dawn laying on the floor upside down, with her legs kicked up on the end of the bed. The few rare moments of peace they got on their time off was usually spent talking in Nia’s room. The room was still completely barren, although she didn’t have much to display. At times the room almost felt like a prison to her. A very comfortable prison, but a prison nonetheless.

“What is it this time? You’re always so sad, surely you can cheer up for a few hours at least?” Dawn asked.

Nia kept staring at the ceiling. “Do you know anything else about before I disappeared? Like, well, me? Everyone keeps acting like I’m something special, and I don’t really believe it’s all because I’m Brook’s sister”

“I’ve told you everything I know, for the millionth time! Everyone’s probably just surprised to see you, you’re the first one to come back in... ever, now that I think about it!”

“I just don’t believe that... I’m not calling you a liar, but I feel like there’s just something that everyone is keeping from me. I feel really out of place here... Everyone just feels so aggressive”

“Don’t worry about it. That’s just kinda how everyone has always been around here. Training can be stressful enough already, so don’t take it personally if someone snaps at you or whatever”

Nia still wasn’t satisfied, but she stopped asking questions after that. As nice as she was, Dawn wasn’t really the best for answers.

Dawn pulled herself all the way on to the bed and sat cross-legged at the foot. “Alright, come on. There has to be SOMETHING we can do to cheer you up, right? We’ve still got what, fifteen minutes before we’re back on duty? That’s plenty of time to have some fun!”

Nia thought for a moment, and then it hit her. She smiled a little bit, and then got up. “Let’s go down to the target range. I wanna show you something I learned back in Inkopolis!” She dug through her bag, and after a long search pulled out a smallish cardboard box covered in all sorts of brand logo stickers.

“What’s in there? Some kind of game?” Dawn asked, trying to look inside. Nia quickly snatched the box back up. “It’s a surprise! And yeah, you could call it a game of sorts. Just follow me, we should make sure nobody else is in there”.

The two snuck down the hall and turned towards the shooting range. After a quick check to make sure it was empty, they went inside and locked the door behind them.

“Can you tell me what we’re doing now?” Dawn said. “If it’s something lame you’re in big trouble!”

Nia opened the box. Inside were some of the most colorful weapons either of them had ever seen. “This, my friend, is a turf war. Also known as the ultimate pastime. I guarantee you’ll never find anything better than this!”

She tossed Dawn a pair of splat dualies. “Rules are pretty simple. Just cover the ground and keep me from doing the same. These weapons are different than the ones we use, they’re modified not to kill. They’ll still put you out of action, but you’ll come back pretty quickly... or at least you should. We can use that clock up there to keep time, alright?” Nia explained. Dawn nodded, and looked over the dualies. “Real quick, what does this button here do? I’ve never seen guns like this before...” Nia came over to look. Before she could get too close, Dawn shot a few feet away and fell face first on to the floor. “Oh... that button. I probably should have mentioned that, shouldn’t I?” Nia laughed and helped her up. “You’re supposed to roll when you hit that, or at least slide if you’re not the athletic type. They help boost you around!”

Dawn steadied herself and attempted to dodge roll a few more times, and then walked to the wall opposite of Nia. “I’m ready whenever you are!” She called.

Nia grabbed a splattershot and stood against the wall. “Alright! Three minutes, starting... NOW!”

The two octolings went to work painting the floor of the range. With only two people it was pretty slow at first, but Nia secured her side in a little over a minute. That left about two minutes left to duel with Dawn. She crept around the boxes and barricades, occasionally diving into the ink and looking for an ambush. She was nowhere to be found, which was a little unsettling given the fairly small size of the room. Nia emerged from the ink and turned around, slowly peeking around a corner, when suddenly a storm of green ink nearly hit her right in the back of the head! She spun around and took aim at Dawn, who looked like she was having the time of her life. Dawn quickly rolled away from Nia’s round, and returned fire once she steadied herself. Nia jumped out of the way to avoid the shots, but a few drops still landed on her arm.

She dove into the ink and tried to swim past Dawn, but she saw it coming. Dawn threw down a bomb and rolled backwards, firing at the now exposed Nia. She was now dripping in Dawn’s green ink, and probably couldn’t take another hit. Rather than take her chances in a straight up duel, she leapt high into the air, covering herself in ink. Before Dawn could properly react, Nia slammed back down on the ground, creating a huge explosion of blue ink.

“The hell was that?! Can my weapon do that?” Dawn asked, ducking behind a box and quickly trying to get Nia’s ink off of her.

“Nah. You’ve got missile launchers though, but I wouldn’t use them now. They make you a little too vulnerable for my taste” Nia said. There was under a minute left, and the battle was still going strong. The two were so evenly matched that right as it seemed one was about to splat the other, they’d hit back with just as much force. Just when it seemed like Nia was about to deal the final blow, Dawn rolled right by her, and she lost her balance. Dawn strode back over to Nia and pressed a foot down on her chest. “Guess I win this one! You put up a pretty nice fight, I gotta admit. But looks like I put up a better one!” She laughed.

Nia smiled. “How long did it take you to come up with that ridiculous speech?”

“Maybe like, two seconds. Trying to go for a supervillain vibe with it. Did I do good?”

“Sure. It could have been less cheesy, but then again I guess most supervillains are”

Dawn grabbed Nia’s hand and helped her up. “I gotta hand it to ya, that was pretty fun. I feel bad for whoever has to clean this up though... the cleaners here must hate their jobs”

* * *

 

The sun was beginning to set now, and Dawn and Nia were once again bored out of their minds at the top of the watchtower. Watching the sunset was relaxing, but you could only do that for so long before you got tired of sitting and staring. 

That’s when Nia had an idea. A horrible idea, but something that would alleviate their boredom nonetheless. 

“Hey Dawn? Get up and follow me. There’s one more thing I want to show you today” she said, climbing down the ladder. Dawn quickly followed behind her, not asking any questions. Wherever they were going, Nia wanted to get there quickly. 

They walked across the rim of the canyon, and it wasn’t long until they reached the abandoned lookout where Nia had first arrived. 

“Why’d we come back here? What’s so special about this place?” Dawn asked. “I hate to be a downer, but if we get caught we’re both gonna be in huge trouble”

”This place? It’s nothing at all. It’s over there that you should see” Nia pointed off in the distance. Over the tops of a few rocky hills, the Inkopolis skyline was visible even from miles away. 

“Is that... Inkopolis?” Dawn asked. 

“Yeah. Isn’t it amazing?”

”It’s gorgeous. All those lights, the huge buildings... everything”

”Well, I promise you that someday I’ll take you there. I’ll take everyone there. This stupid war has gone on long enough”

Dawn sighed. “It’s a kind offer, but I can’t. Inkopolis isn’t a place for me. I may not like it, but my loyalties lie here. I couldn’t abandon everyone here...” She looked out at the city and sat in silence for a little while. “You should head on back. I’m gonna stay here a little bit longer. Hurry, we don’t want anyone finding our post empty”

Nia nodded and turned back. She thought she heard footsteps behind her, but that was impossible. Dawn was still sitting down, and nobody else was around. It was probably just her mind. She hadn’t been feeling great lately anyways.

By the time Dawn was ready to head back, it was completely dark out. The only light came from a few old lamp posts and the moon, and it was dead quiet. She got up and turned back, lost in her thoughts. She desperately wanted to see Inkopolis in person, but she didn’t want to be seen as a traitor either.

A voice in the darkness quickly snapped her out of it.

”Where is she. Tell me now!” The voice growled. Dawn frantically looked around, but the source was nowhere to be found.

”W-Who are you?” Dawn said, drawing her gun. “Come out where I can see you!”

A somewhat tall inkling stepped out of the shadows. “My name doesn’t matter. It never did. The only thing that matters is that girl you were with. Just give her to me and I’ll let you go”

”Nia? What do you want with her? Why didn’t you say something earlier, when it was, uh, less creepy out?”

”I just need her. It doesn’t matter why. This is your last warning!” Despite the inkling girl’s threatening tone, her voice was somewhat shaky. Was she... scared?

Something clicked in Dawn’s head. “Hold on... are you Zero? Nia-“

”THAT DOESN’T MATTER! FOR THE LAST TIME, WHERE IS SHE?!” She shouted, drawing a knife. There was no mistaking it now. As tough as she wanted to sound, there was still a touch of genuine fear in her voice.

”I’m afraid I can’t tell you that. You’re going to have to drop your weapons first”

Before Dawn could react, the inkling ran forward, brandishing the knife. Dawn took a step back, but it was no use. She was too slow. She let out a small scream as the girl plunged the knife into her chest. Her breathing was shaky, and she looked absolutely terrified of what she had just done.

”Heh, I guess that really is you. I can see you pretty well now...” Dawn coughed. Her vision was blurred, and talking was becoming increasingly difficult. “She talks about you all the time, you know... She really cares about you...” she closed her eyes and forced a weak smile. “Just please... keep her safe for me, okay? And tell her that I’ll miss her”

The octoling’s breathing slowed, and came to a stop. She was dead.

April was hardly able to breathe. She felt sick, and looking at the girl’s lifeless body only made it worse. She ripped the tracking device off her belt, and chucked it into the canyon. 

She reached down and took the octoling’s headset. Without thinking, she raised the microphone to her mouth and pressed speak.

”Someone get over here quick... I need help. It’s not good...” she gave the coordinates of her location as well, and curled up on the ground, tears forming in her eyes,

Several minutes later, a group of octoling soldiers came running towards her. There was no mistaking the girl in front. After several long days, she had finally found Nia.

”Oh no... what the hell happened here... did you do this to her?! Just who the hell are you?!” Nia yelled, pointing an octoshot at April.

She slowly stood up and looked Nia in the eyes. Nia’s stance wavered, and she looked visibly surprised.

”Nia... I’m so sorry. I’m so, so, sorry...”

Nia was crying now. ”I trusted you, Z. I cared about you. Why would you do this... You killed her. You realize what you did, right? That’s an act of war. I should shoot you right here and now!”

”Nia, please! I’m sorry-!”

”Shut your damn mouth, Zero! Don’t give me any of that bullshit!”

”This wasn’t my fault! It’s Leo! He sent me to capture you, he’s trying to get you back!”

Another octoling stepped forward and tried to grab the gun from Nia’s hand. “Nia, if you don’t shoot this stupid girl I’ll do it for you. She killed one of our best soldiers. This means war, and I’m not letting her win this one!”

”Brook, wait! Let her talk, I think she might have some answers for you!”

”Absolutely not! If you’re actually about to take her side, I’ll kill you too! I don’t care if you’re my sister, it’s not like you even serve a purpose without your damn memory!”

Nia took a step back and punched Brook hard in the face. “Z, tell me everything you know. What you did was horrible, but if you’ve got information you’re willing to share maybe we can look past that even if just for a moment”

”Fine. If you don’t believe me, that’s okay with me. I don’t even care if you kill me at this point. Just let me talk first.” April said. “The incredibly short version is simple. This creep Leo has been taking your best soldiers and injecting them with some kind of new DNA stuff. I can give names if you don’t believe me. Robin, Lily, and-“

Brook cut her off. “How the hell did you get those names?! Why should we trust you?”

”Brook, listen! She’s clearly trustworthy if she’s telling us this much!” Nia pleaded. 

“If she matters so much to you, fine. I’ll let you choose. Who will it be? Your family, or some crying, murderous inkling?”

”She’s my friend! I don’t think you understand! I’d know if she’s lying, and she’s telling the truth!”

”Fine then. Get out of my sight, you disgusting traitor. If I see you here again I’ll kill you. Although perhaps that might be too kind of me” Brook shoved Nia to the ground and turned around, taking off with the rest of the soldiers.

”So... I guess it’s just us again. It really sucks that this is how we’re meeting, but I’m just happy to see you” Nia said, dusting herself off. She tried to stand, but it was difficult. She must have hurt her leg when she fell.

April stared at Dawn’s body. “She said you talked about me. That you really seemed to like me...” She wiped a tear before it could roll down her face. “Was she a good person too?”

Nia didn’t bother trying to stop her tears. “She was amazing. One of the nicest octolings I had ever met. I’ll never forget her”

“I wish I could have gotten to know her... she was really determined to protect you. She seems like a great friend” April took Nia’s hand and pulled her up, putting an arm around her to help her walk.

”She would have liked you too. You’re a great person, Z. A great person who’s done some awful things, but still a great person”

April was silent for a moment. “Nia? There’s one more thing I think I should tell you..”

”Hm? What’s that?”

”My name isn’t Zero. It’s April. I just thought you should know...”

”April, huh?” Nia smiled. “That’s a lovely name. It’s nice to meet you, April. I hope we can be friends”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You didn’t think I’d really let them be happy, did you? That’s unfortunate. 
> 
> I hope you’re enjoying the story so far. I would say this chapter probably concludes the first major arc, but then again this thing barely has a discernible plot. I’m working on getting better at that. Maybe. 
> 
> Anyways, I think these two need a well-deserved break. Next chapter will be slowed down a bit like some of the others so I can hopefully improve my writing, as well as help expand the plot a bit more. 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading. I love you guys.  
> -Giga


	11. Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the truth is revealed.

April and Nia sat on the ground, huddled around a small fire. The dusty canyon was much colder at night than either of them would have preferred, but they were used to it after a few days. Neither of them were completely sure where they were going. They both wanted to return to Inkopolis for at least a few nights, but they probably weren’t safe there. It wouldn’t be long before Leo learned April had ditched the tracker, and then it was almost guaranteed that he’d be after them.

The two girls seemed to be getting along fine, but after the recent events they were still fairly distant from each other. Nia was trying hard to see the good in April, but there were times where she still felt torn. April’s mind wasn’t in the right place that night, but Dawn didn’t deserve any of that. April was sent to kill her, and Dawn just got caught in the crossfire.

It was hard to imagine that the two had been living an almost normal life just a few weeks ago.

The thing that was most puzzling to her was April’s sudden change of heart. The girl was quite literally murderous one second, but April broke down the second second she saw her coming minutes later.

As for April, she mostly felt regret. She hadn’t said much over the last few days, instead just keeping her eye on the horizon as they ever so slowly crept back towards the city. Something about Dawn’s last words hit her hard. Nia really did love her, but she acted like an idiot and ran off with a knife. And now she just might have started the next Great Turf War.

Nia looked at her watch. “You should get some sleep. You don’t look great... I think you should get to bed early tonight”

April looked down at the fire. “Why are you being so nice to me?” She asked, her voice quiet. “I don’t deserve any of this. You should have killed me”

Nia moved next to April and put an arm around her. “Do you want the honest answer? Or do you just want me to make you feel better?”

“Tell me the truth. If it’s pity you’re better off not wasting your time on me”

“It’s not pity. Don’t worry. It’s hard to explain, but... you’re kind of the only person I have who’s anywhere close to family. When I saw Dawn lying there with blood on your hands, I was damn close to just shooting you on the spot. But in a weird way, I think my brother helped me realize the bigger picture. He’s not the kind of person I want to be. I cared about you too much to hurt you, like the idiot I am”

April looked her in the eye. “If you care about me, why’d you go and run off? This is all your fault, you know. If you hadn’t freaked out and ran away out of nowhere we wouldn’t be having this conversation!” She snapped. She felt terrible. Nia didn’t deserve this, but a lot of the anger was coming back. She just wanted answers.

“I was stupid. When my memory came back, it was all so sudden. I didn’t know if anyone else would see me as an enemy, but I just felt like I had to get out of there. There wasn’t a second after I left that I didn’t regret that choice”

“I honestly should hate you. You honestly don’t realize what you did to me!” April yelled. She jerked away from Nia and stood up “I was finally getting my life back on track, and then you just left for your own stupid reasons! What kind of friend does that?!”

“April, please! Listen to me! I’m sorry for what I did, okay? You have to take some responsibility for what you did too though!”

“Do you honestly think I’m not?! I feel like absolute shit. I just killed someone. Do you have any idea what that does to you? Or are you too busy thinking about yourself again?”

“I don’t know what I did to hurt you this much! I made a stupid impulsive decision, and look. We’re back together. What more do you even want from me?” Nia was shouting too now. They had both finally reached their breaking point. Deep down neither of them really wanted to fight, but all the stress and weight of the last few days finally had gotten to them.

April said nothing. She sat back down, trying to ignore her tears. Nia got up and crawled into her sleeping bag. “I’m going to sleep. I’ll see you in the morning. I don’t really want to talk to you right now” she said, her voice bitter and cold. “If you’re going to be petty, you can do that on your own time. Because you’re sure as hell not going to waste mine”

April stayed where she was. She felt terrible for snapping at Nia, but she still felt angry with her for leaving. Perhaps angry wasn’t the best word. It was more like betrayed, or abandoned. Either way, April didn’t even know why she was getting so worked up over it. Sure she liked Nia, but why was she so upset when they were finally back together?

She climbed inside her own sleeping bag. Maybe someday the two could look past all this. No matter how long it took, all she wanted was a friend. A close friend, one she could really be herself around.

She closed her eyes. Maybe she’d feel better in the morning.

* * *

She had no idea how long she had been asleep, but when she woke up it was still dark out. Their fire had gone out too, leaving them in almost complete darkness. 

She looked to her side, and saw that Nia’s sleeping bag was empty. Her mind immediately went into panic mode. She looked around frantically, and was relieved to discover that her bag was still there. She hadn’t run off too far, for better or worse. April pulled herself out of the sleeping bag and stood up, trying her hardest to see though the darkness.

After a few minutes of searching, April spotted her, sitting on the edge of the canyon. She quietly walked over and awkwardly stood behind her for a few seconds, unsure of what to say.

Eventually she broke the silence. “Can’t sleep, huh?” She sat next to Nia, dangling her legs over the cliff as well.

Nia didn’t look over. “Yeah. I’ve had a lot on my mind. Some of it good, some not so much. You?” Her voice was empty. She wasn’t crying, but she sure looked pretty close to breaking down.

“Same thing here” April responded. “How are you holding up? If you don’t want to talk to me I understand... I said some pretty harsh things. You didn’t deserve that after, well, you know”

“Can I just ask you one thing?” Nia said. In the moonlight April could see that she was finally starting to tear up.

“Huh? Oh, sure. Go ahead!” April grinned at her. Nia forced a weak smile in return, but it didn’t last.

“Why did you come after me? And don’t tell me that Leo guy forced you to, I want the honest answer. There’s a reason besides that. I know it”

April thought for a moment. “I’m honestly not sure myself. It was mostly me being impulsive and stupid”

“You’re lying. I can tell. You’re a bad liar, you realize that, right?”

She sighed. “Alright, I guess that’s only half the story. After you left, I just got really depressed and angry for a little while. I came after you because, well... I wanted you to suffer like I did. There you go. There’s nothing stopping you from just pushing me off this cliff now, because I honestly deserve it”

“That’s still not it. Look me in the eye and tell me the real reason you came. You know better than to just walk into enemy territory, right?”

April went quiet, and struggled to make eye contact. Finally she gave in, looked Nia right in the eye, and spoke.

“I came after you, because, well...”

She closed her eyes. Eye contact made her nervous.

“This is gonna sound really fucking stupid, but I came after you because I loved you”

Nia stared. “You... loved me?”

“Yeah. Before I met you I don’t think I had ever had any real friends, much less one as good as you. Being with you just makes me so happy, it’s hard to explain”

If Nia wasn’t crying before, she definitely was now. She buried her face in her hands, her entire body shaking. April put an arm around her, and Nia leaned against her.

The two girls sat on the ledge for a while, watching as the sun slowly rose over the horizon. Neither of them said much, but the tension was beginning to lift.

Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad after all.

* * *

When the two finally reached the outskirts of the city they could not have been more relieved. The journey back had been long and hard, and neither of them could wait much longer to get back in an actual air conditioned room with an actual couch. Not much had changed in Inkopolis since they had left. It was as colorful and bustling as always, and most importantly it felt like home. 

April unlocked the apartment door, and the two went inside. It was exactly how April had left it, but for some reason the peeling walls and stained floors had never felt so inviting.

Before either of them could get too comfortable, April decided that they might as well catch up on all the time they had lost.

April grabbed Nia’s shoulders, causing her to jump. “Hey! Come on, let’s go downtown! I’m hungry, and I really need new clothes anyways!”

“Right now? I was about to take a nap... but I guess if we make it quick. We probably shouldn’t be out in broad daylight too much though, especially now that we’re back in Leo’s reach”

“He probably hasn’t realized anything yet. We might as well have a little fun now that we’re back home! We deserve a nice break. I’ll even take you on in a turf war!”

“I’m way too tired for that. But I suppose I can’t turn down some good old greasy food. It’s so bad it’s good, you know?”

April laughed. “That’s the spirit! Let’s go, before you really do fall asleep!”

The two made their way down the street towards the train to the heart of the city. Both of them had greatly missed Inkopolis, and even just walking down the city streets put them in a great mood.

Before they could reach the subway entrance, April heard Nia let out a startled cry next to her. She spun to the side and saw an octoling with long red tentacles quickly pulling her into an alley, out of sight to most people. The octoling signaled for April to follow her, and she ran after them.

Once she let go of Nia’s arm, she ducked behind a dumpster.

“The hell was that for?!” Nia yelled. “Why couldn’t you have just gotten my attention like any normal person would?”

“I don’t want to be seen. As far as anyone else knows, I don’t exist” she said. “I don’t know if you’re in a hurry to get anywhere, but please hear me out”

“If you’re working with that Brook creep you should give us one reason to even listen to you, right now!” April said.

“Shut up! People will hear us! I don’t want that!” she hissed, peeking around the corner. “I’m not with him. If anything, I’m against him too. My name is Ciara, and if you enjoy your life you should probably listen to me”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s October now so as a Splatoon fan I’m legally obligated to make at least one octo-ber joke so here it is. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed!


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